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Survey of Linux-Based Gadgets & Devices
An anonymous reader writes "NewsFactor Network recently asked: Where Are All the Cool Embedded-Linux Gadgets? Well, LinuxDevices.com has just updated its answer to that question. The Embedded Linux "Cool Devices" Quick Reference Guide now encompasses 123 Linux-based gadgets and devices in 7 categories, including PDAs, mobile-phones, IP-phones, audio/video entertainment, tablet computers, gateways/routers, servers, wireless access points, robots, web-enabled cameras, telematics, industrial controllers, wrist watches, and last but not least, a DIY category: little Linux systems for projects and products. Lots of great pictures, too."
Doesn't Aibo run linux? How about Honda's Asimov (the robot) I really thought they did - maybe I was wrong, though. Anybody have definitive knowledge?
p.s. I think IBM japan is renting a honda Asimov as its receptionist for nearly 100,000 dollars per year. Who wants to be that it's the highest compensated
1) receptionist - ever
2) linux powered anything - ever (okay, if it ran linux - see above)
It does irks me that a robot makes more than me, though... sigh. I don't mind a 100k/yr job as a receptionist. Fuck, I will do the job for HALF that and do The Robot (dance) for 8 hours a day to impress the people coming in.
My life in the land of the rising sun.
I've got a Nic (used to be called ThinkNIC) that I turned into a DMZ webserver, running NetBSD. By pulling the CDROM and the modem daughtercard, a full size Harddisk fits perfectly. Tell it to use ports 80 and 22, and you've got a one wire in (power) and one wire out (ethernet).
"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
I was shocked. Wish I knew who the company was that made them. Neat.
A winner is you!
To boldly go where no Linux geek has gone before, eh?
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
I see a whole lot of their stuff on the way to production. A very smart company, and their forte is hand-held barcode stuff.
It doesn't mention Lunix, but here's a spiel on their embedded wireless LAN stuff.
Who says you can't have both a quailty product which happens to be made with linux?
Hell, some of us wilder, more extreme types consider Linux as a *sign* of quality!
Great, more things my wife won't let me buy.
Some people have a way with words, others not have way.
One device I didn't see listed anywhere is the Dish Networks 721 PVR.
e iv ers/dishpvr721/index.shtml
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/products/rec
The link to GNU GPL compliance http://208.45.37.181/ even runs ON a 721... Satellite receiver serving web pages, heh heh.
They forgot to list my favorite embedded Linux device :( Beowulf clusters of atomic supermen!
Well there are a lot of networking devices (no suprise to anyone here since it's basically a stock Linux box on cheap PC or non-PC hardware), and quite a few media devices, I'm surprised at the small number of devices in other categories.
I'm suprised we aren't seeing Linux in more phones, televisions, clocks, cameras and such. What's more, the list includes several rather exagerated "products" such as the Indrema system that was canned a long time ago and two IBM Linux wristwatches that will never go into production, but are merely interesting research projects.
The most interesting devices are the Motorola and Sony ones. It looks like both of those companies have a serious (as in credible, not as in very large) interest in embedded Linux. Even there, though, the devices are answers looking for questions, not things that are likely to generate large numbers of sales.
I've always thought that even though it is technically inferior in many ways, embedded Linux would beat out Windows CE just because of the economics of the embedded market scene. If this list is to be believed as representing the scope and penetration of embedded Linux, it is way behind and is unlikely to catch up.
Yeah, its somewhat clunky as a PDA (according to the Experts - I like it) but slap in a 256Mb SD card and load it up with mp3's, get a aux audio cable or cdrom-cassette adapter, and it is an awesome mp3 player for your car. Doesn't skip, can set to random shuffle repeat, all your favorite songs, etc. An expensive mp3(ogg) player but it runs Linux, has a Arm/RISC processor, and the James Bond keyboard is slicker than shit through a tin horn.
Clickety Click
Electrical Test equipment. Agilent has several Linux based devises. They had plans to expand its use. But MS got a hold of them (from the inside) and convinced them to use WindowsXP for all new platforms, despite the failure of other Windows based instruments, and the advise of almost every firmware engineer in the company. When Agilent markets a Windows based instrument, they promote the fact that its Windows based. This does not sell the instrument, rather it is done to have a positive effect on stock prices. In reality, press releases that highlight Linux would be appealing to tech savy investors. And its tech savay investors that would be attracted to a company like Agilent. As it is, Agilent marketing has no incentive to do this. If antention was paid to Linux based T&M equipment, Agilent marketing might take notice. Probably not enough to countermand Microsofts wishes, but enough to make a dent.
Seriously where can you buy this stuff? I remember looking at this stuff before and then looking for a tablet to buy and none could be found... FIC Aquapad for example I went to FIC and they didn't have it for sale nor did any of their retailers sell it... I think much of that stuff is a) vaporware that vaporised with the bubble b) vaporware that has yet to be finished but will see day light. I am aware some of the products are avaiable but many seem hard to find or get...
I don't think that the point of the article was: 'Hey these products run linux, go buy them.'
I think it was more just an encouraging note (especially to linux developers) that linux can keep up in the embedded systems market.
http://yetanotherpoliticalrant.blogspot.com
Well, dead actually. Call the sales number and you get a recording: "The sales hotline is inactive due to the closure of the company."
"I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
Too bad the parent post's author is not actually Miguel de Icaza (the Gnome/Ximian guy).